New Hartford inventor lands feature in national publication

Monday

Oct 9, 2017 at 5:12 AM

GREG MASONgmason@uticaod.com

NEW HARTFORD — Local inventor Andy Putrello makes his living making things more than they appear.

A flashlight that can cauterize wounds, for example. A metallic firestarter with a tungsten carbide blade that can be used to sharpen knives. A tinderbox that can use solar rays to alight kindling and doubles as a signal mirror.

The 57-year-old Utica resident said he has patents on all of the gadgets he invents and manufactures through his New Hartford business, Solo Scientific. And one of them — the tinderbox, known as the Tinder Hot Box Solar Fire Starter — was recently featured in a listicle in the publication Popular Mechanics.

Putrello said he first started inventing outdoor equipment on the side when he founded Solo Scientific about nine years ago, focusing primarily on hydrogen fuel cells. The survival gear and other inventions eventually became Solo Scientific’s main products after that facet of the business took off, Putrello said.

He is mostly a staff of one, getting some part-time help from family and friends, he said. Looking ahead, however, Putrello said he is preparing to take his business “to the next level.”

The O-D had a chance to chat with Putrello about his latest endeavors:

What does it mean to be featured in Popular Mechanics?

I was really proud of that because I have a lot of respect for that magazine. To be featured in Popular Mechanics validates my creativity and validates the inventions — not that I need validation, but it’s always nice. Sometimes when you’re an inventor working alone a lot, sometimes you’re not sure: Are people going to want this? It’s nice to have validation once in a while just to let you know you’re on the right path.

What are some of the challenges in your line of work?

The challenges with inventing are marketing, manufacturing and distributing the inventions.

In the beginning, if an invention is selling moderately, you can keep up with it. But if you have a hit invention and the volume goes up to fast, you have a problem with working capital to fund the inventory and enough help to manufacture. The inventing part: I love doing. The business part: I can’t stand it.

How did you come up with the tinderbox?

Creativity is a funny thing because I think that certain people have creativity. I don’t think it’s something that can be taught. I wish I could turn my mind off sometimes because it’s nonstop ideas. It’s nonstop every day. It’s a great thing, but it can be a curse because my mind is always inventing.